Overwatch and AT guns

[boersma8]

Say I have a PAK 40 overwatching a row of hexes. I then want to change the direction of the overwatch. Can I do this in my movement phase or would this be impossible since AT guns cannot move in the movement phase and changing facing technically counts as movement? The confusing thing is that AT guns- unlike vehicles- usually don't have facings.....

[Y2UAsk]

Because there's been some confusion on overwatch recently, I'm going into more detail than usual on some of these answers.

Even though ATGs usually don't have facing, when you place one on overwatch, it has a facing. Because changing facing is considered movement, AND ATGs have speed 0 in the movement phase, AND it's been ruled that units with speed 0 can perform movement actions within their own hex (mounting or dismounting transport, entering or exiting a pillbox), what you're describing is allowed.

Note three things --

a) There's an important difference between "can't move" and "speed 0." ATGs are not under "can't move" restrictions during the movement phase; they have speed 0 during the movement phase and speed 2 during the assault phase.

b) After consulting with Mons, we've decided that this sentence should be appended to the third paragraph under "Overwatch" (Expanded Rules, pg. 24) -- "An overwatch marker can also be removed voluntarily at any time by the player who controls the unit."

c) Besides the obvious, an effect of 'b' is that units can change facing while on overwatch. This is done by voluntarily removing the overwatch marker, then placing it back on the same unit and taking the 'free' facing change.

Steve

[Y2UAsk]

bump ...

The previous answer has been corrected and expanded.

Steve